Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1887-12-08

Gauaher of the Free Press says, - w III me
Sentinel. is guilty Of mistaken identity; tua'
he is not the Galaher who draws the MeNI." -
pension for "meritOuOus services, &c ~ -
q good thing to be an iyUlt, or Aa s pei WIZ viz
the Country has use fO- soldiers. There were
nientv of that home kind North and South eu-
ring the last war and ST. Peter might have ios'
q shining mark ifthe said Editor had oeeh '''o''
-" T" "a Harper Ferry Sentinel.
II was not our fault that we were not Of
military age during the Mexican war, and
therefore. not now Mexican veteran ana
pensioner But later when soldiers were
needed at Harper's Ferry, when the
friends Of ''W" swooped down on that peace
fll community and the first victim was an
industrious. inofensiye colored man. and
for four years during the late war, we per-
formed our humble part. W cannot
,ruthfully charge US with playing the baby
act. Conscious that when he opened his
mouth he put his foot in it, he tries 10 d.
vert attention from his inexcusable mis-
statement by an iuuendo and feeble critl-
cism. He finds a mares nest in our remark
that our relative, Jno. w. Gallaher, Is
Mexican veteran and the recipient Of a pen
sion for meritorious services Here Is
what W saws:
And about the meriJori0uS pension bus
ines- such a thing has never existed since the
United states Government was organized. Men
are ucn,i0nel for disabilities such as wounds
disease and age.
The Revolutionary soldiers were pension
al tor scryices-not specially for disabi'i
ties. disease and age" and if their service
had not been meritorious no pension wouIC
or should have been allowed. All honora
| bis discharged soldiers of the Mexican war
REGARDLESS ofdisabiHtics and disease are pen
sioned-peusioncd for services-tof ser
vices recorded as meritorious--merito
riou, IA thas Che men responded 10 the cal
and rendered acceptable service. Webster
among other definitions of pensioner give
this. " One TO whom an annual SUM OF mo
uey is paid by government in consideration
OF pasl services" and that the service mus
DE- mcritor Gus service goes without say
/ iug-it is understood. else the p9ymen
( would be fraud upon the people. w
| have proofs all around d, of pensions grant
! ed for services, and disease aud aisabilitie
NOT aiall present in the persons ofthe recip
lent, nor set forth 10 their application TO
. pensions
~ also writes:
You evalod the charge when You salt
. those Who are recipients ofPensi0ns iorSe'
tiu- that Your files and those of other locai pa
ue--. show that Won sueercd at the pdupe
bin that Cleveland yetoci-as you termed H.
so evasion amll. We were writing o
peusioucrs-ouly chose who are recipient
OF pensions can be called such NoUher
iu the eol1mus of THE FREE PRESS can yor
/ find that we ever called % peusioned yetera
paupef. What we think OF the so-ca.le'
/ Dependent Pension Bill vetoed by tbe Pres
/ ideat is uot releyant-but il was pretty wei
known as che "Pauper Bill" Whethe
/ just or unjust it {. nct phrase of our coin
ing.
Wedo moi" catch on to the remark a
bau, tle possibility of 81 Peter losing
shining mark. We hope w " has no
/ become so desperate as TO desire that shi
ming mark should be shot at and hit. Nv
is safe.